As we move in to the last quarter of 2019, you’ll probably be thinking about the best way to use up the rest of your annual leave. And while you may assume that most of us will have used up all that precious time off throughout the other three quarters of the year, that’s definitely not the case.

New research from travel money specialist Equals has revealed the average British worker actually has almost half of their annual leave left to use – despite the fact that we’re way over halfway through the year. And although some of those surveyed said they were saving that holiday for a late long-weekend break or last-minute holiday, almost one in 10 said they were simply too busy at work to take time off.

While it may seem like a lot of hassle to keep tabs on your annual leave allowance and find ways to make the most of your entitlement, it’s important to take time off to enable your body to relax and recharge, especially if you haven’t taken any leave in a while. Some workplaces will differ in how you book time off and when exactly you’re allowed to use it, but most UK workers are entitled to the same amount of paid annual leave.

However, according to a recent report from the Resolution Foundation think tank, around one in 20 UK workers does not get any paid holiday – a practice which is, put quite simply, illegal.

Annual leave entitlement: this is how much paid time-off your employer is legally obliged to give you